Registrations are soon to open for the long awaited Manitoba Fibre Festival!

If you are interested in learning more about wool than you ever expected and getting down and greasy in a hundred fleeces then you will want to sign up for the Wool Judging classes which are now open for registration! Both level 1 & 2 are offered this year. Once completion you will receive a certificate. This is a very informative course and people take it for lots of different reasons.

If you are a producer, learn more about your wool, how to raise its value and sell it in auctions.

If you are an artisan, learn what makes a great fleece for any project.

If you want to become a judge and continue to learn as you go, it's perfect.

I took this course in Olds in 2012 and have been working in the field since then. Out of all I do, wool judging is what I love most​.

I will also be teaching a Fleece to Finish class on Friday from 2 - 4:30If you are interested in learning more about wool fleeces and how to choose a fleece at an auction or wool show you will want to sign up.In this workshop I will take the fear out of buying and processing fleeces. We will discuss what to look for in a fleece and what to avoid as well as how to read the information on a judging card. We will look at 3 different wool breeds and discuss how to choose a fleece with an end use in mind. I will also talk about storing, washing and processing a fleece by hand using carders, and combs.

On Sat Sept 15 from 9 - 12 is my Learn to Spin on a Drop Spindle classEver wanted to learn how to make yarn by hand? In this class you will learn the time honoured tradition of spindling. We will be using a top whorl spindle to learn how to create your own leader, manage twist, understand the drafting zone and draft continuously, build a cop and prepare your spun singles for plying. We will also discuss spindle types, fibre preparations, and finishing techniques. Perfect for beginners.

Our fibre community on Regina here kicked off Tour de Fleece at The Naked Sheep. It was a good day full of food, laughs and breathing in the fibre fumes. My goals this year are to spin down my stash (not much left) and work on 2 support spindle projects.

Spinny & Loopy 3D printed spindle

Homespun Tools French spindle

With the french spindle I am spinning a new to me fibre: Pearl. It is a biodegradable cellulose fibre with freshwater pearl dust in it. Not sure how I feel just yet but it is interesting. It is a good moisture absorber and it even has a UV protection factor greater than 30! That's kinda neat. Watch for new spindle reviews coming up a bit later.

I spun a bobbin and plied 3 skeins. The one on the left is Merino/Bamboo from last months Spunky Club and the other 2 are Sweet Georgia BFL. Are you participating this year? What are your goals?